.

My mother's early life had not been spent near the water; her people
dwelt inland. My maternal grandfather owned half a township and was a
very influential man. Naturally my mother had lived in affluence during
her girlhood and it was considered by her friends a great mistake on her
part when she married my father. He was a ship's surgeon when they were
married and his only income was derived from the practise of his
profession. He established himself as a physician in Bolderhead after
the wedding; they lived simply, and I was their only child.

Grandfather didn't forgive mother for marrying a poor man. The old
gentleman didn't get along well with his relatives, anyway. He hadn't
liked the man his oldest daughter married, Mr. Chester Downes. When I
grew old enough to understand the character of Mr. Downes I could not
blame grandfather for his bad opinion of the man! Aunt Alice dying
before grandfather, Mr. Downes could never hope to handle much of
grandfather's money. There was a sum set aside for Paul in grandfather's
will. And even that Mr. Downes could not touch; it was tied up until
Paul was of age. After several large charities had been remembered in
the will the residue of the property had come to my mother. As I
understood it I was but two years old when grandfather died, and my own
father was drowned three weeks after grandfather's burial.

We had gone to live at once in mother's old home; but she had a tender
feeling for Bolderhead, and as I grew older and evinced such a love for
the sea, she had built our summer home here.

Mother was one of those dependent, timid women, who seem unable to
decide any matter for themselves. Not that she wasn't the very best
mother that ever lived! But she _was_ easily influenced by other people.
As I grew older and began to understand what went on more clearly, I
knew that Chester Downes possessed a stronger influence over mother than
was good for either her or me. He was her confidant in business matters,
too.

Being brought up in the same inland town together, my cousin Paul and I
naturally saw a good deal of each other. Frankly I saw altogether too
much of him--and I told my mother so. But Mr. Downes was all the time
coming to the house--especially to the Bolderhead cottage--and bringing
Paul with him.

I felt that they were steadily and insidiously influencing mother
against me. We were drifting apart. Mother had through them acquired the
belief that I was a rude